What went right, wrong vs. Browns

The Steelers took control of the game early and were in control throughout their victory over Cleveland

WHAT WENT RIGHT* The Browns won the toss and elected to receive. After a 5-yard run by Edwin Baker on first down, Jarvis Jones blew up a screen to Josh Cooper for a 3-yard loss, and then on third down quarterback Jason Campbell couldn’t find anyone open and threw the ball away. Following the punt, the Steelers offense began its opening possession on the Pittsburgh 38-yard line.

* After the defense delivered that three-and-out, the Steelers offense drove 62 yards in nine plays for a touchdown, with the points coming on a 9-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Jerricho Cotchery. The Steelers were 2-for-2 on third downs, with Jonathan Dwyer running for 6 yards on a third-and-1, and Roethlisberger completing a 12-yard pass to Cotchery to convert a third-and-10. The touchdown reception was Cotchery’s 10th of the season.

* The Browns moved the ball into scoring territory on the possession following the first Pittsburgh touchdown, but on third-and-9 from the Steelers 25-yard line, Brett Keisel defeated his block and delivered a sack/strip of Jason Campbell. The ball was recovered by Vince Williams at the Pittsburgh 23-yard line.* Cleveland faced a fourth-and-4 from the Steelers 29-yard line late in the first quarter of a game in which they were trailing, 7-0. Opting to go for it, the Browns had Jason Campbell throw a short pass to a wide open Josh Cooper, but the ball was slightly behind him and Cooper couldn’t control the pass. The Steelers took over on downs.

* The Steelers doubled their lead to 14-0 on a 5-yard run by Le’Veon Bell to cap a drive in which Pittsburgh’s rookie running back carried eight times for 41 yards, including the score. At the time of his touchdown, Bell had 51 yards on 11 carries, plus one reception for another 6. His 57 yards from scrimmage left him 16 shy of breaking Franco Harris’ rookie record for yards from scrimmage.

* Cleveland’s first possession of the second half reached the Steelers 33-yard line, where the Browns faced a fourth-and-3. Down, 14-0, the Browns opted to go for it, but thanks to pressure from Cam Heyward and Chris Carter, Jason Campbell’s pass for Greg Little fell incomplete.

* Another failure on fourth down in scoring territory for the Browns. Early in the fourth quarter, the Browns offense was penalized for delay of game, which turned a fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 14-yard line into a fourth-and-6 at the 19-yard line. Jason Campbell’s pass for Josh Gordon was incomplete. Ike Taylor was in coverage.

* Following a Cleveland touchdown inside three minutes and with the Steelers holding a 20-7 lead, the Browns attempted an onside kick. Billy Cundiff’s attempt was recovered by Troy Polamalu before it traveled the required 10 yards to give the Steelers possession.

* The Steelers were protecting a 20-7 lead with 1:03 remaining in the game when the Browns faced a second-and-10 from their own 43-yard line. The Browns had scored their touchdown when Jason Campbell threw a short pass to RB Fozzy Whittaker who ran 35 yards for the score. This time when Campbell went to Whittaker, the ball bounced off his hands, and Lawrence Timmons made the interception that sealed the outcome.

WHAT WENT WRONG* Two snaps following the takeaway generated by Brett Keisel’s sack/strip, the Browns got the ball right back with a takeaway of their own. On first down, Will Johnson took a screen pass and gained 9 yards, and on second-and-1 linebacker Craig Robertson intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger pass intended for Jerricho Cotchery. Following a 12-yard return, the Browns offense took over at the Steelers 35-yard line.

* Late in the third quarter of a 17-0 game, the Browns had a fiurst-and-10 at the Pittsburgh 23-yard line. Jason Campbell had tight end Jordan Cameron running a seam route into the Steelers end zone. As Campbell released the ball, Cortez Allen cut underneath the route perfectly and had a clean shot at an interception. But instead of extending his hands to catch the ball. Allen attempted to catch it in his arms. The ball went through Allen’s arms.